How Do We Know We've Got the Truth?

Often we get a lot of the ideas, beliefs and practices that we have from our cultural influences, people that we look up to and books. How do we know what we are believing to be true actually is true? We can easily become swayed, like a reed in the wind, by believing in doctrines of people and not those of God from His Word. If we are not careful to "search the scriptures to see if these things are so" (Acts 17:11) like the Bereans (rather than just sticking with a single verse and an argument), then we are in danger of being "tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes" (Eph 4:14). I am all to familiar how in the reading of books and using them as spectacles through which to view scripture, one can easily wander from the truth. Often we don't realize we are doing it, but if we place books and the words of men above the Word of God and seeking His understanding through the teaching of the Holy Spirit, then we will certainly err. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things, not men -- even the best of them! (John 14:26 -- see also Psalm 143:10, Luke 12:12). I certainly don't want myself to stray, nor you nor any brother or sister in Christ... and so to this end I am labouring.

As good Bereans, we should do at least the following 2 things whenever we are offered an interpretation of scripture:

1. First and foremost, we must establish the local context in which the verse in question lies. Who is the speaker? Who is the audience and what understanding did they have of the things being spoken of? For the latter, reading relevant parts of the Talmud (or Jewish oral traditions) would help to understand the mindset of those Jews who joined the early church. What was being done or said before and after the verse? If it is a letter, re-read the entire letter in one sitting to get the greater context as well as tone.
   
2. Secondly, carefully examine key words within the verse in question. Then search the entire Bible for these key words to find out how the Bible uses these terms in the rest of scripture. Anyone is capable of doing this, and with modern computer technology and freely available Bible software (ie. http://www.e-sword.net/), it is quite easy. Without these, a concordance will help. In this case, we want to look at the term "Rock" and any variants, such as "stone," etc.

Of course, whenever approaching scripture, we must do so in prayer and in submission to the Holy Spirit's leading. It is very easy and natural for us to look for support for our current understanding. If scripture disagrees with our current understanding, we must be open to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and to renew our minds and to correct us. One of the keys to reading the Bible is to never read a verse. Never ever read a verse in isolation; always read it in its contexts (both local and within the general context of scripture).